Chapter XXXI: Letter XXXI: Valley of Achor, Oct. 20th, 1818

Mr. LAWSON.

MY DEAR BROTHER in the GREAT HEAD of the CHURCH.

In your kind visit to me last Sunday, you dropped a word which I caught, on that very important text which has sometimes troubled some of God’s dear children, 66th Psalm, 18th verse, “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.” The reason why the children of the most high are staggered about this text, is because they are the unhappy subjects of the body of sin and death—of course, they feel those strong propensities to sin, of every kind, a carnal nature, with which they are tried, they feel lusts or desires after that which is contrary to God—in their flesh or _old man_, there is nothing that is good. This flesh does not mean the body. For there are many good things in that vessel. There is a regenerated soul, there are principles of grace, there is the Holy Spirit in it, as his own temple. But the flesh, the carnal part of an elect person, as regenerated, is distinct from both the body and the soul; yet both are at times influenced, led captive, overcome and ensnared by this plague, this burden, this grief, this old man, so called by the Apostle, and by Solomon called a strange woman, against which, he, in the person of Christ, cautions his children in many places in the book of Proverbs. The worst part we feel of this evil principle, is the sinful desires for sensual and carnal gratifications. This was the way-faring man, who came to David, and would not be satisfied without the ewe lamb; and this same traveller often visits us; for though he is an inmate with God’s children, yet through the reign of Grace, he is not our king, ruler, or associate. The grace of God has altered all our minds, took the throne of our hearts, and reigns king here. For thus runs the covenant promise, Sin shall not have the dominion over you, grace shall reign. We have fell out with sin, we have another nature which hates sin, nor can it ever entertain it more. We hate iniquity by the holy principle in us. This iniquity which the Psalmist refers to, I humbly conceive, means those awful principles of pride, and self-righteousness, in which mankind are involved, and by which they deceive their souls. I need not remind you of the distinction between transgression and iniquity; the one refers to the out-breakings of sin into acts of immorality; the other refers to the carnal ambitious principles of free-will, independence, and self-sufficiency. David had seen an end of perfection, by the application of the law; he had been in the horrible pit, and miry clay, and had been led to see that his own righteousness could not bear the strict scrutiny of God’s justice, and that in God’s sight, no flesh living could be justified, by any thing they could do. His mind was fixed on the adorable Redeemer, as his surety, mediator, righteousness, and intercessor—here his heart was fixed, trusting on this he lived and died. Through this medium alone, his soul had access to God, his prayers were heard and answered, his requests were received, and his petitions granted. This was an evidence that he had an holy principle within him that hated iniquity, although he had an opposite principle within him that did regard iniquity. The Lord looks upon us as we are in Christ, and as we are under the reign of grace, which destroys the reign of sin, transgression, and iniquity. David hated all the works of the flesh, and above all, those cursed principles which are in opposition to the humiliating doctrines of the Gospel, which teach men to look to, trust in, and make their own works, either in whole or in part, a Saviour. The Lord had appeared to David, as a prayer-answering God; this was an undeniable proof that he did not regard iniquity in his regenerated soul, and every answer to prayer which we receive, is a most blessed evidence to us, that grace has done the same for us which it did for David. Hence he acknowledges the mercy, in the two following verses. I beg you to read the connection from 16th verse to the close. But my dear friend, may we not look a little higher than David or any chosen vessel; may not this passage belong to David’s Lord, of whom he speaks throughout the book of Psalms. Was not his nature entirely free from sin and iniquity; was he not holy, harmless, and undefiled, separated and free from iniquity as God himself; and if he had not been so, he could not have made an atonement for his Church, nor wrought out a righteousness for them; but having completed the work, by his interest he obtained the gift of the Holy Ghost, to abide in and with his people for ever. In this view, only read over the above verse, and you will see a peculiar glory in them, in reference to Christ. May he be very dear to your heart, living and dying; may you be led to his person and work, and feel joy and peace in believing in the love which God hath for you in Christ.

Your’s, truly,
_Ruhamah_.